Kalil 2nd Best Player in NFL Draft USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil announced that he will enter the NFL draft, forgoing his senior season. USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil has decided to forgo his senior season and seek entry into the 2012 NFL draft. ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen first reported Kalil's decision. More from We Are SC By declaring for the draft, Matt Kalil becomes the latest in a long line of USC offensive tackles to make it to the next level, writes Garry Paskwietz. Story Insider With Matt Kalil gone, USC will have to either switch a right tackle to his left tackle position or use incoming freshmen, writes Erik McKinney. Story Insider Kalil, a projected top-five pick, informed Trojans coach Lane Kiffin, other staff members and teammates of his decision to turn pro. Kalil has received numerous All-American honors this year. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Kalil redshirted as a freshman, was backup to Charles Brown his second year and then started his final two years for the Trojans at left tackle. In 2011, Kalil didn't allow a sack and led the USC offensive line to the lowest sack-allowed total in the country. ESPN.com's Scouts, Inc. ranks Kalil as the No. 2 prospect in the nation at any position, behind only Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. Other top tackles include Stanford's Jonathan Martin and Iowa's Riley Reiff, although most scouts have Kalil firmly ahead of them. Kalil's brother, Ryan Kalil, was a second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2007 out of USC and signed a $49 million extension last summer that made him the highest-paid center in the NFL. Kalil, 22, is expected to sign with Tom Condon of CAA Sports, a source told ESPNLA.com's Pedro Moura. Condon represents many of the highest-profile players in the NFL, including quarterbacks Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. CAA and Condon did not respond to numerous inquiries regarding Kalil. It is unclear how Kalil's decision affects the Trojans quarterback, Matt Barkley. Barkley has until Jan. 15 to declare for the draft. Both players said that although they will consult each other when making their respective decisions, they will not base anything off of what the other does. Barkley hasn't given any indication as to when he will announce his decision.
